Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Rizwan Saeed Sheikh met US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Brian Mast in Washington.
In the meeting, Ambassador Rizwan Saed Sheikh appreciated Chairman Mast’s leadership and his role for the continued support in strengthening Pak-US relations.
The ambassador stated that to strengthen bilateral ties, 2026 should be declared a “Year of Action.”
For both countries they discussed ways to deepen engagement and promote mutual interests.
He also sought enhanced US support to expand collaboration in counterterrorism efforts and extended an invitation to Chairman Mast to visit Pakistan.
Earlier it was reported that Pakistan’s Ambassador to United States, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, said that Pakistan and the United States enjoy a longstanding and consequential relationship.
He was speaking during a panel discussion on “The Future of the US-Pakistan Relationship” at the Future Security Forum 2025 in Washington, D.C.
The Ambassador thanked the US leadership, particularly President Trump, for facilitating the ceasefire that ended the 88-hour standoff, terming it as a vital act that prevented escalation in a nuclear neighborhood of 1.7 billion people.
Ambassador Sheikh reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to diplomacy, stability, and pragmatic policymaking. He recounted the country’s repeated cycles of devastating floods that have destroyed infrastructure, reversed economic gains, and disrupted development programs.
Reiterating Pakistan’s principled stance on IIOJK, the Ambassador called for international mediation to help the Kashmiri people realise their right to self-determination in line with UN Security Council resolutions.
He said Pakistan’s foreign policy seeks balanced relations and Pakistan’s ties with Beijing are rooted in historical continuity and economic cooperation. He said Pakistan’s relationship with China didn’t start yesterday, and it is not ending tomorrow. He said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor should be viewed through an economic lens, as a facilitator of regional connectivity and prosperity.
Condemning cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan, the Ambassador stated that Pakistan has endured immense suffering from terrorism and will address it resolutely. He reaffirmed that diplomacy remained Pakistan’s preferred approach to resolving bilateral issues with both Afghanistan and India. On the issue of Afghan refugees, he clarified that only undocumented or illegal residents are being repatriated, and that Pakistan wanted to ensure their return in a dignified manner.
Also read: Pakistan Ready to Act as Bridge Between US, China for Better Ties, Says Ambassador Rizwan
